Senator Florence Ita Giwa’s aka Mama Bakassi, life is neither a predicament nor a tragedy. If you ask, Florence adjudges her life to be a spectacle or a feast. Penultimate week, Florence, one of Nigeria’s most notable matriarchs clock 69 amidst plenteousness, soundness of health, influence and clout.
However, like the saying fine feathers make fine birds. So does a pretty frame make a ravishing woman; if the woman is as stunning as Ita Giwa, there is likelihood that she will possess a fine soul too.
Therefore, as she marks her 69th birthday, Nigeria’s high society equally felicitate with a remarkable woman who citizenship and womanhood remains a benchmark for the 21st century Nigerian. At 69, she is so full of life and flaunts as fetching smile at every function any day.
The light-complexioned lady is blessed with a glowing skin that always catches the attention of many whenever she makes a public appearance. We leant that the former lawmaker, was hosted to a private birthday bash by Captain and Mrs. Akimbo Johnson at their Parkview, Ikoyi, Lagos residence. Though the party was low-key, top politicians and entertainers were in attendance, including former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke; singer 2face Idibia and wife, Annie; Tiwa Savage; Olu Maintain; Abba Folawiyo; Charles and Maureen Ahize, among others.
Ita-Giwa was born on 19 February, 1946 in Atabong, Bakassi LGA, Cross River State, and attended the Kilburn Polytechnic, United Kingdom. She became a nurse, then a representative for the Beecham Pharmaceutical Company. She later moved to Standall Pharmaceutical, where she represented Lagos State. Ita-Giwa joined politics and emerged as NRC chairman for Cross River State. Thereafter, she was elected a member of the Federal House of Representatives between 1992 and 1993, and was a member of the Committee on Devolution of Power Constituent Assembly between 1994 and 1995. She became involved in Bakassi affairs, and earned the nickname “Mama Bakassi”.
Ita-Giwa was elected Senator for the Cross River South constituency in April, 1999 and was appointed to committees on Rules and Procedures, Environment, Foreign Affairs, Women, Niger Delta, Drug & Narcotics. After leaving the Senate in 2003, she joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and became President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters.